BENSALEM, Pa. – The Fantastic Final Four is a reality. 

It was confirmed the top-4 teams from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings will compose the GEICO High School Nationals field. That means No. 1 Miami (Fla.) Country Day plays No. 4 New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.) and No. 2 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) tangles with No. 3 Centennial (Las Vegas) in the other semifinal on April 5.

The biggest coup for tournament organizers Paragon Marketing was landing St. John’s. For years the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference was reluctant to send their teams to the annual event but since St. John’s is also a member of the District of Columbia State Athletic Association and recently won the Class AA tournament for a fourth straight season, the Cadets finally cleared all the hurdles.

The DCSAA is one of the state governing bodies that allows their schools to compete at the GEICO Nationals.

The four-team event, scheduled for Christ the High School in Middle Village, New York, is expected to be the greatest girls’ postseason tournament ever assembled. Without hesitation, the winner will ascend to the No. 1 spot in the Elite 25. 

This is the first true national championship!

We first heard St. John’s was a player last week. It was finalized over the weekend. The odd team out of the GEICO Nationals is No. 9 Westlake (Atlanta), which won the Georgia Class AAAAAAA state title for the second straight year, registering a perfect 30-0 record. Last year, Westlake ran the table in the regular season but lost in the GEICO Nationals semifinals.

That’s the best news and biggest news from the girls’ basketball universe.

Otherwise, there is one addition to the Elite 25 rankings from the South. No. 23 Bradley Central (Cleveland, Tenn.) enters after winning the Class AAA state tournament as Hannah Lombard’s 3-pointer beat the buzzer, giving the Bearettes their first title since 1976 when Tennessee played six-on-six basketball. Bradley’s 46-44 win over Houston (Germantown) and a loss by No. 24 Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) in the semifinals closes the books on the season. Riverdale, which had won three straight AAA state championships, dropped 15 spots in the Elite 25 with the unexpected loss.

This weekend the states of Ohio, Kentucky, New York, Minnesota and North Carolina crown champions.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings return on March 20. Only two ranking periods remain. The final rankings are April 9.

Check back regularly at www.bluestarmedia.org for staff updates from showcase events and state tournaments in March. Blue Star Media will keep you abreast of everything girls’ basketball.

Thank you for your readership, we appreciate your support. Congratulations to all the state champions!

We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, March 13, 2019

1. Miami (Fla.) Country Day (26-1)*

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Won a sixth-straight Class 4A state championship. The Lady Spartans return to the GEICO Nationals, an event they won in 2017. 

2. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (35-1)* *

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Won fourth straight D.C. State Athletic Association Class AA tournament title and third straight Washington Catholic Athletic Conference crown. Now the Cadets are headed to the GEICO Nationals in a shock move.

3. Centennial, Las Vegas (31-1)*

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Won fifth straight Class 4A state championship. The Lady Bulldogs are off until the GEICO Nationals on April 5 in New York.

4. New Hope Academy, Landover Hills, Md. (37-3)* *

Previous: 5.

Low-down: The Tigers were selected to play in the GEICO Nationals after winning two prestigious national postseason tournaments.

5. Maine West, Des Plaines, Ill. (35-0)*

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship. Season complete.

6. Africentric Early College, Columbus, Ohio (26-0)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: The Lady Nubians trounced Liberty-Benton (Findlay), 56-36, in the Division III regional final. In the semifinals, Tennessee-bound Jordan Horston pumped in 21 points with five 3-pointers to defeated Margaretta (Castalia), 66-35. The Lady Nubians jumped to a 33-14 lead at the intermission. Next is the Division III state semifinals against Hiland (Berlin) Thursday at the Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center in Columbus.

7. Westridge Academy, Kernersville, N.C. (29-0)* *

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Won two major postseason tournaments while running the table. Season complete.

8. Edison Public School Academy, Detroit (23-1)

Previous: 8.

Low down: Won Division 2, District 59 title, beating Harper Woods, 76-18, in the final and Chandler (Harper Woods), 79-49, in the semifinals. Also beat Detroit Communication, 82-20, in the Regional 15 semifinals; the final is Wednesday with the winner going to the state quarterfinals. The Pioneers are four wins from a third straight state title.

9. Westlake, Atlanta (30-0)*

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Won second consecutive Class AAAAAAA state championship, defeating then-No. 11 Collins Hill (Suwanee), 60-53. Junior C Lydia Freeman contributed 16 points, 9 rebounds and blocked 2 shots and Raven Johnson scored 16 points. The Lions will go for a third straight title next year with a full compliment of players returning Season complete.

10. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (31-4)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Season complete.

11. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (25-4)*

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Won the CSCHSAA Class AA state championship, knocking off Monsignor Scanlan (Bronx), 67-45. Khadija scored a game-high 20 points and Klarke Sconiers contributed 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Royals went 2-0 at states. Only two days prior, they captured the GCHSSA Class AA City Championship, stopping Monsignor Scanlan (Bronx), 77-72. Next is the New York State Federation Class AA semifinals on March 22 or 23 in Glens Falls.

12. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (29-0)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Dlayla Chakolis (26 points) and junior All-American Paige Bueckers (23) teamed for 49 points and the Royals rolled over rival Wayzata (Plymouth), 77-60, in the Class AAAA, Section 6 championship. This will be their fifth straight trip to states and eight time in nine years. Next is Lakeville North Wednesday in the Class AAAA quarterfinals at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The semifinals are Thursday and final is Saturday.

13. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (32-1)*

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Won the CIF Open Division final, defeating Pinewood School (Los Altos Hills), 69-51. Junior Ashley Chevalier scored 20 points and handed out 7 assists and by junior Vanessa De Jesus netted 17 points.In the Southern California Region final, they defeated Clovis West (Fresno), 74-70. Junior Ashley Chevalier scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half as the Trailblazers rallied from a 37-17 deficit in the second quarter and went up one point (57-56) late in the third. Season complete.

14. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (25-2)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: The Cougars are headed to the Ohio Division I state semifinals after beating Centerville, 70-63, in the regional final. Senior Julia Hoefling scored a game-high 23 points and freshman KK Bransford added 17. Also beat rival Mercy McAuley (Cincinnati), 56-47 in the regional semifinals. Next is GlenOak (Canton) Friday in the semifinals at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center in Columbus.

15.  Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (25-1)*

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Won a Virginia record sixth straight Class 5 championship, stopping Edison (Alexandria), 69-55. Brianna Jackson tossed in a game-high 23 points. Coach Darnell Dozier’s trailed early but game turned in the second quarter when the Lady Cavaliers raced to a 40-28 edge at the break. Mahogany Lester scored 10 of her 14 points in the second and Azizha James added 17. Season complete.

16. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (28-2)

Previous: 18. 

Low-down: Defeated Parkway North (St. Louis), 60-52, in the Class 4 quarterfinals and St. Francis Borgia (Washington), 73-24, in the sectional playoff round. The Class 4 state semifinals are Friday versus Miller Career Academy (St. Louis) at Missouri State’s JQH Arena in Springfield. The final is Saturday at 4:30 p.m. CDT.

17. Amarillo, Texas (37-4)*

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Won a second consecutive Class 5A state championship. Season complete.

18. Converse (Texas) Judson (38-5)*

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Won Class 6A state championship. Season complete.

19. Franklin, Somerset, N.J. (32-0)*

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Won third straight Group 4 state championship, besting Lenape (Medford), 73-35. Freshman Christina Midgette had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds while Diamond Miller and Kennady Schenck each scored 15 points. Miller’s 19 points helped the Warriors obliterate Bloomfield, 66-22, in the North Jersey final. In the North Section 2 final, Keona Schenck threw in 21 points during a 70-38 victory over Bayonne. The Warriors are the top seed in the State Tournament of Champions and have a bye Thursday’s semifinals, where it plays St. Rose (Belmar) or University (Newark), in Toms River. The final is Sunday at Rutgers University’s Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway. 

20. Hamilton Heights Christian, Chattanooga, Tenn. (24-3)

Previous: 20. 

Low-down: Season complete.

21. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (25-3)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Advanced to the in the CIF-Northern California Region Open semifinals. Season complete.

22. Germantown Academy, Fort Washington, Pa. (30-1)*

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Won the Pennsylvania Independent School Athletic Association championship. Season complete.

23. Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn. (34-3)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Won Class AAA state championship, defeating Houston (Germantown), 46-44. Hannah Lombard drained a three-point field goal with 1.2 seconds remaining for the program’s first title of the modern era and the first since 1976. The Bearettes won their previous five titles under legendary coach Jim Smiddy when it was six-on-six basketball. Jamaryn Blair topped all scorers with 25 points and was named the Most Valuable Player. Anna Walker and Lombard joined Blair on the all-tournament team. Season complete.

24. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (31-2)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Upset in Class AAA semifinals by Houston (Germantown), 78-72, ending a three-year run of state titles. Beat Arlington, 67-50, in the quarterfinals. Aislynn Hayes poured in 23 points as the Lady Warriors used a 19-9 third-quarter showing to clinch it. Aislynn and Alasia Hayes were named to the all-tournament team. Season complete.

25. Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga. (30-2)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Lost in Class AAAAAAA state championship to then-No. 15 Westlake (Atlanta), 70-63. Javyn Nicholson had 17 points and 15 rebounds and Purdue-bound Bria Harmon closed with 13 points. Season complete.

Dropped: No. 22 Windward School (Los Angeles).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Chartiers Valley, Bridgeville, Pa. (26-0) 

2. Woodbridge, Va. (29-1)*

3. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (24-4)* 

4. Saddle River (N.J.) Day School (27-2)* 

5. Manchester (N.J.) Township (31-2)*  

Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

Midwest

1. Beaver Dam, Wis. (27-1)*

2. Hamilton Southeastern, Fishers, Ind. (27-1)*

3. Pickerington (Ohio) Central (27-1)

4. Wayzata, Plymouth, Minn. (26-3)

5. Northwestern, Kokomo, Ind. (27-3)*

Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Southland

1. Hoover, Ala. (34-1)*

2. Pearl, Miss. (31-1)*

3. Scott County, Georgetown, Ky. (33-1)

4. Northside, Fort Smith, Ark. (28-1)*

5. Goose Creek, S.C. (23-1)*

Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Far West

1. Benson, Portland, Ore. (26-4)*

2. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (31-4)

3. Pinewood School, Los Altos Hills, Calif. (27-4)

4. Millennium, Goodyear, Ariz. (26-4)*

5. Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, Colo. (24-4)*

Geography: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

* Won state, national or conference/league postseason tournament championship

(Note some schools have won multiple tournament titles]

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls’ Basketball Rankings are released weekly from November until the conclusion of the high school season. Criteria considered are the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Senior Writer Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released in April. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.